[mou] Owl field - more observations

[Alt, Mark]

1.	Peter Neubeck pointed out that in both instances we saw and
heard the Great Gray Owl vocalizing, the individual seen vocalizing was
turned away from what appeared to us to be the closest Owls, and not
focused on calling directly to any one Owl in close proximity. With
their hearing, it is not hard to believe their calls were heard by every
Owl within a mile or so anyway. I wonder if the body position is
important in this case. Playing hard to get?
2.	There are variably plumaged owls in this area, though not at the
Owl field. We saw 1 Owl that had pointed rectrices, indicating a first
year bird. All others seen well appeared to have worn and browner
plumage and were thus assumed to be second year or older (I still am not
comfortable aging them further than that). We saw a bird with narrow
white scapular wing stripes, like a Red-tailed Hawk, but narrower in
width. Another had a single white spot on each side, appearing to be
maybe a single feather in the lesser wing coverts.  I have a report of a
melanistic Great Gray Owl being seen in Rice Lake NWR this past weekend.
This bird has a white moustachial stripe, but is described as black
otherwise. I have no further details at this time.

Mark Alt=20
Brooklyn Center, MN=20
mark.alt@bestbuy.com=20
"I recalled that I had read somewhere that in the Middle Ages Hell was
envisioned as a place without birds." Jim Harrison=20